In the Darkness came Light
by Astroeal
Summary: 200 years ago, Elenya witnessed the start of a war that would ensue for millenia, the world crumbling around her in the process. Now, when darkness is ever so close, can Mirkwood and the rest of ME overcome an evil greater than the last: Hate, with love?
1. Default Chapter

The sun was not out. Again, it was hidden by the thick layer of dusty gray clouds that hovered overhead. For nearly a months end, clammy fogs and overcast skies were a reminder of an evil that affected not only the spirits of one, but now the weather. Yes, damp, dull spirits and a damp, dull atmosphere; what a life to live.  
  
No, Elenya could not say she hated it. There was an excitement about it, a sense of adventure that came upon her every time she stepped outside into the fog. It covered her like a woolen blanket, invisible to the eye, but free to move around without the worries of the dangers that lie in the woods surrounding her home. And recently, those dangers were ever more real..  
  
Elenya shook her head, as if the small movement would completely rid her of all the fears that had just filtered into her mind. As much as Elenya loved the wilderness and the idea of traveling throughout Middle Earth, there was a voice at the back of her mind, reminding her of what could happen, what had happened to her mother.and it was this voice that kept Elenya at bay, close to home and never venturing far into the woods, only willing to go into the shallow outskirts of the forests. Oh yes, she would often look at those trees, the greenery of it all, with a longing that Elves rarely show, yet she could not willingly push herself to enter. For she knew what lurked behind the beauty of it all, and not even the ever watchful eye could force her to move closer than she dared.  
  
A voice broke into her train of thought, "My lady, it is growing dark. Perhaps you would like an escort home?"  
  
Elenya turned, suddenly aware of the grass stained dress she wore. Three men on horse back stood in front of her, their royal guard plates shinning brightly in the sunset. She picked herself up from the ground and curtseyed slightly. "Kind sirs, I appreciate the offer, yet I cannot help but wonder what three of the Royal Guard are doing here, miles from the Palace of Mirkwood, at the edge of their kingdom? Certainly you are here for more than an escort." The men nodded their heads politely, and the one in the center answered.  
  
"Ay, the King has sent a few of his men to search for Minskroot, a healing agent for battle wounds." At this Elenya raised her eyebrows.  
  
"A healing agent? Are you insinuating that perhaps war will reach Mirkwood?" She stepped closer.  
  
"Milday, I did not wish to startle you. It is only a precaution. After all, Middle Earth grows more and more dangerous with each passing day, as I am sure you are aware. Speaking of which, you should not be this close to the Forests of Mirkwood unaccompanied. There are men in these woods,"--- Elenya cut him off.  
  
"I am fully conscious of the dangers of this wood." Her face hardened.  
  
"I did not mean to imply,"--- She cut him off again.  
  
"Well you did. I will not require an escort tonight, thank you." And with that, Elenya turned on her heel and marched straight back to Mirkwood leaving the men utterly bewildered, and without a glance behind her.  
  
It was so infuriating! Elven men thought they knew everything! Well, Elenya did not need their ever so insightful knowledge, nor did she need their protecting. In all truth, her bitterness had not always been so.blunt. No, Elenya could vaguely remember a time when life was nearly perfect. But everything had changed on that infamous day.  
  
200 years ago  
  
The night was beautiful, clear, and crisp. The stars shone brightly above, twinkling and winking as if they held a secret that none other would ever understand. Elenya often found herself in this position, back to the ground, eyes wide, staring up into the depths of the night with all her being. Elves were known for their love of nature, among other things, but Elenya seemed to take it to an extreme. In fact, throughout the Kingdom of Mirkwood, elves regularly sought her out for help regarding herbs and healing remedies. Thus, her current position under the stars was one of immediate comfort.  
  
It had been a long time since life was as it was now. Relations between races were virtually perfect. For once, there seemed to be a mutual agreement among the peoples of middle earth, one to avoid conflict at all costs. Yet, Elenya had never experienced a war of any kind. Truth be told, she was a newborn in the race of elves. Born less than 300 years ago, Elenya was still developing the grace and poise that her elders had mastered. She still had the impatient awkwardness of her youth. In all truth, the only truly unique quality she had attained in her short life span was her amazing intellect regarding nature.  
  
"Elenya!" Her Mother's voice called to her. Elenya arched her back and tilted her head backwards to see her mother walking towards her.  
  
"Hello Mother," She called back, "I was just looking for you." Elenya sat up, running a hand through her tangled hair. She had been gazing at the stars for nearly two hours now.  
  
"Did you perhaps think I was to be found in the heavens? You have not moved from this position all night!" She grinned. "Is it too much to ask to spend some time with my only daughter? Gregor is too old now for motherly company, for he is.a man now, so he says. Or a man he shall become, for he still has that arrogance of youth. Yet, you my daughter, shall never tire of me, as old as you get!" She giggled and began to tickle her. Elenya squirmed and screamed, her peals of helpless laugher echoing against the heavy folds of the sky.  
  
And then suddenly her screams of laugher were matched with screams of rage, whistles of arrows, clashes of swords in the not so far distance. Her mother instantly stopped and looked up to the top of the hill, where shadows battled in the distance. Her body tensed.  
  
"Mother, what is happening?" Elenya's voice shook.  
  
"I have not the slightest idea. There are warriors of Mirkwood atop the hill.and men. Men are attacking the city." The last phrase hung in the air, as if it was meant to be a question. Her mother's trained eye had picked up on the details of the shadowy figures above, a result of age.  
  
"Come, let us get back home with Father and Gregor." She called above the war cries. "They will know what is going on." The screams grew louder; her mother's voice a little more frantic, a little more urgent, "Hurry."  
  
And then all at once bodies were streaming against her, dragging her down, and her mother's hand that had been clutching her own was gone. Elenya's own screams could not be heard above that of the war cries, yet this did not stop her. She screamed and ran blindly through the crowd, oblivious to swinging swords around her. The battle ground seemed endless. Elenya searched, right, left, yet every direction she turned a duel ensued. So she sat down on the earth turned ground, let out a howl of agony and cried.  
  
"Mother!" and with a heavy butt of a sword, Elenya's head met the dirt and there was darkness.  
  
Just the first chapter to get the story line going.let me know what you think. 


	2. A Boom and then a Bang

She had always tried to keep those thoughts far away from her consciousness. Yes, the day her Mother died had thoroughly been pushed from her mind every time it tried to enter. But the anger and resentment still coursed through her veins. The men were easily defeated, yet this held no pleasure for Elenya. They did not suffer as she now did. Ultimately, Elenya found herself in an endless circle of hatred towards the race of men, for the perpetrators were dead, and no justice could be served.  
  
"Why such a heavy frown?" Elenya turned to see her Father standing, arms crossed and brow furrowed. She now sat within the confines of her small, rather ordinary house. Her family held no special status, thus her home was fairly simple and plain.  
  
"Oh Father," Elenya rose from her sitting position to gently kiss his forehead, "You needn't worry about me!" She smiled, as if this small gesture would dismiss all other calculations the man had made in the past.  
  
Her father shook his head and stared intimately at the ground. He did not move, so deep in thought he was. Suddenly, he grasped Elenya's hand.  
  
"You and I must have a talk, and now seems a good of time as any." He seemed to hesitate before he went on. "Life has held no pleasure for me since your mother died," He spoke quickly, "and the sea calls to me. It will not be long before I depart these lands and am united again with the Lost. But I fear for you, Elenya. I see the ever approaching menace of Men, the menace that could very well be elves end. You have developed a mind that hates and fears that of Men, and it has been left unchecked for far too long. The cries of your heart echo in my ears and echo in the resounding wood of Mirkwood. You must learn to open yourself up, for when I leave these lands, you and your brother will be alone. I cannot bear to think that you will never let anyone else into your life. You have closed yourself off for long enough."  
  
Elenya heard the words, for her father spoke clearly and passionately, yet they made no impact, did not hit the wall that surrounded her heart. So she did what she had been doing for the last two hundred years. She plastered a smile to her face and walked away.  
  
She walked through her wooden door frame, out of her home, and ran. She ran through the wooded paths of Mirkwood, surrounded by the beauty of the trees, the greenery of it all. But she saw nothing. The trees in front of her were mere blades of grass in the distance, and she weaved in out of them effortlessly.  
  
Elenya knew the words her father spoke were true, more than true, but accepting them was the difficult part. She had held onto the hatred for far too long to let it go now; it was such a vital part of her, it supported her as a neck supports its head.  
  
Before Elenya could stop herself, her forehead met that of a rather thin tree trunk, and found herself face to face with the ground. A sharp pain ran through her back and she cursed out loud. The tree seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere. How could she have been so stupid? It was mid afternoon, full daylight, yet she had not seen it! Elenya rolled herself off her back and onto her stomach with a moan.  
  
"Do not move! I am terribly sorry, Milady. I had not seen you. It seems our collision was rather mutual." The deep voice chuckled as if the situation was somehow amusing.  
  
Elenya started. The small tree was not a tree after all! She had conveniently run head on into a relatively tall elf, whose face was now hidden by the glare of the sun. Perfect. Not a sound moment to herself! Not only was she practically paralyzed on the ground (for every movement sent a sharp pain up her spine), but this elf proceeded to mock her! No, she would not have it. In a relentless attempt to rid herself of him, she began to lift her head, then neck......Yes! She would be up in no time! But then there was that all too familiar sting. It seemed she would have to resign herself to her current position on the dirt floor.  
  
The elf bent down and knelt beside her, and suddenly the glare was gone and his face was visible. And a beautiful face it was. But there was no misnomer about it. The arc of the eyebrows, the smirk of the lips, the furrow of the eyebrows all pointed to one thing and one thing alone. This man was royalty. Terrific.  
  
He began to place his hands under her back as if to lift her. "You appear to have hit the ground quite hard. I am truly sorry!" And abruptly her legs were going upward and her neck being elevated.  
  
"Release me! Release me at once!" She did not need anyone's help! Why did one always assume her helpless? Really! It wasn't as if she were sprawled on the ground dependently.  
  
Alright, she was helpless.  
  
But couldn't the elf just leave her alone? Didn't he have some sort of royal treasury meeting to attend? You know, where the whole lot of them got together and counted their golden coins?  
  
The elf released her instantly. "I apologize, Milady. I did not mean to startle you. I was merely trying to carry you to the healers. You look as if you are in pain." He saw Elenya roll her eyes. "Unless, of course you plan on walking there yourself?" He stood up and looked down upon her critically. She straightened as much as possible without completely disgracing herself. What a site she must be to behold. Collapsed on the ground with no where to look but straight up into his damned eyes.  
  
"Well, yes! If you must know, I do plan on walking there myself. I am self- sufficient, regardless of your other encounters with the opposite sex." She lifted her chin proudly.  
  
"Then by all means," He smirked, "Be my guest." He backed away as if to allow room for her to stand. She did not move. How would she get out of this one with any honor left in her being?  
  
He tilted his head to the side, and a knowing smile touched his lips. "Why, girl, have you not moved? Do you plan on lying there all day?" He crossed his arms.  
  
Elenya's eyes widened. "Of course not. I am just," She searched for an excuse, "Enjoying the view. That's all." If she could have, she would have smacked herself right there and then.  
  
"Ah, well, you can admire my face some other time. For now, I suggest getting up and going home. I do not wish to waste my day arguing with you."  
  
"Then leave, will you not?"  
  
"I cannot leave a young girl stranded in the middle of the woods!" He nearly screamed, "You will not permit me to"------ She cut him off.  
  
"I am not a young girl!"  
  
He continued as if no interruption had been made, "You will not permit me to carry you to the healers, yet you cannot move!" He sat down against a tree a few feet away and sighed heavily. After a few minutes he said, "My name is Legolas. What is yours?"  
  
Review! 


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